Roc Illetas — Hotel in Calvià

In terms of value for money at the price we paid, this hotel delivered beyond our expectations. Staff were fantastic and very accommodating and this four-star hotel delivered a five star experience for us. Those who can live without the opulence or spectacular interior design of five-star hotels will find a great alternative in Hotel Roc Illetas.

The bedroom was modern and minimalistic with the main feature being a balcony with unobstructed sea views. Falling asleep and waking up to the sound of crashing waves was very relaxing. The balcony had a drying rack that could be folded out—great for drying swimsuits. The only complaints, albeit minor ones, about the room would be the lack of a shelf in the shower for own shampoos and soaps (however, there is a wall-mounted dispenser with the hotel’s own shampoo/wash) and the lack of control of the balcony light (it seemed to be on a timer but we would have preferred to be able to turn off the light at our own discretion).

In terms of the areas inside the hotel, in contrast to the modern rooms, the decor is in a Spanish traditional style, which is charming but can look dated. The reception area and corridors are quite dated in this sense, but the restaurants are in a contemporary version of traditional style and fit the profile of a hotel in this class. On the topic of restaurants, we only ever ate at the hotel for breakfast and the breakfast is fantastic with something for all tastes, ranging from hot made-to-order eggs and omelettes to fresh fruits and everything in-between.

The outdoor areas are where the hotel shines. Beautifully set on a steep slope toward the sea, the outdoor areas can best be described as a terraced garden. There is beautiful, lush greenery providing shade and privacy and making the setting feel almost tropical. There are sun loungers and sitting areas spread across several “terraces”, with our preferred location being the loungers right on the water. Some may not like that sea access is only via a very steep ladder (or jumping) leading into deep water. We preferred being in deep water and enjoyed diving in from the pier, but we can also see how this would not suit children or those who lack the physical ability to climb a steep ladder. We only used the pools once and they seemed fine. Like with the indoor areas, there are some dated elements that bring down the impression of the outdoor spaces ever so slightly: specifically, the white metal railing around the sun terrace and pools looks cheap compared to the glass railing seen in areas of many nearby hotel, and the adequate but dated-looking light fixtures along the perimeter of the restaurant terrace bring down the impression of an otherwise gorgeous area a little.

Location-wise, the hotel couldn’t be better. It’s literally around the corner from the finest beach in Palma, with a private gate for hotel guests to access a seafront walking path to the beach. The beach offers a casual but luxurious beach club with a great restaurant and options for renting basic sun loungers as well as more exclusive sun beds with waiting service. A short walk from the hotel you can find plenty of excellent smaller restaurants and a gelato cafe that cater mainly to regulars, which usually indicates good quality. There is also a great pharmacy as well as several smaller markets (perfect for snacks and standard essentials) within walking distance. The number 4 bus line stops right outside the hotel and takes you into central Palma in 20 minutes in the evenings after 7pm and 40 minutes in the days due to variation in traffic.

In conclusion, Hotel Roc Illetas has the casual vibe of a tourist hotel but offers the level of service befitting of a fine hotel and is set on an absolutely gorgeous estate that compares favourably with the top hotels in the area. We wouldn’t consider this a honeymoon hotel, but for almost every other guest category, the hotel delivers everything you need and most of what you want in a holiday hotel at a great...

I’ve been struggling to find the right words to describe just how disappointing this experience was for my family and me. I’m someone who usually gives the benefit of the doubt and rarely—if ever—leaves a negative review. But what we experienced cannot be ignored or brushed aside.

Let me start by acknowledging the positives: the hotel grounds are beautiful and conveniently located right by the beach. The breakfast buffet offers a decent variety, and on the surface, the hotel appears nice. Unfortunately, that’s where the good ends.

We stayed from Monday, 8/25 to Friday, 8/29. I was traveling with my two young children and my parents. Upon entering our room, we were immediately hit by an overwhelming smell of mold and dampness. It felt like we were staying in a musty basement. The room itself was not clean—there were plastic wrappers left in the shower and stains on the bed sheets.

The next morning, my father went to move our rental car and asked the young woman at reception if he could leave it in the lot for just 15 minutes while he picked us up. She abruptly said there were no spaces available for purchase. He explained again that it was just for a few minutes, but she coldly responded that she would not be opening the gate and "would not be helping him." He mentioned that a male staff member had allowed him a similar courtesy the day before, but she remained uncooperative and dismissive.

I understand rules exist, but the lack of consistency and, more importantly, the complete absence of professionalism and courtesy was shocking. Throughout our stay, every interaction with reception was unpleasant. Whether we were requesting towels, directions, or simply asking a question, the staff acted as if we were inconveniencing them.

One of the bathrooms in our room had a drainage issue from the start. Every time someone showered, water flooded the floor. Initially, I assumed it was a design flaw. However, because of the cold and indifferent behavior we'd already experienced from staff, I didn’t feel comfortable reporting it. On our final night, the situation escalated when the bathroom completely flooded—this time spilling into the bedroom with 1–2 inches of water. We attempted to call the front desk six times before getting through. By that time, my luggage, clothes, and shoes were soaked with dirty water. The front desk claimed someone would be sent up, but no one ever came. Eventually, my mother had to wave down a staff member who was cleaning the pool. He was the only person who showed genuine concern and helped us as best he could.

During checkout the next morning, a staff member asked how our stay was. I shared our experience, and to his credit, he was apologetic and understanding. However, while I was speaking to him, the same young woman from earlier in the week interrupted, exclaiming, “I was being rude?!” before rolling her eyes and walking away. I believe she assumed I didn’t speak Spanish, as she and another staff member continued talking about me while I stood just two feet away.

I understand that Spain is currently dealing with tensions around tourism and housing. As a family who chose to stay in a hotel to support local jobs and businesses—rather than booking an Airbnb—we expected at least a basic level of hospitality and respect. Instead, we were met with indifference, unprofessionalism, and outright rudeness.

This was not just a disappointing hotel stay; it was a stressful and disheartening experience that overshadowed what should have been a joyful family vacation. I truly regret booking this hotel and would strongly caution others to think twice before...

We did not have a good experience at Roc Illetas. It is beautiful but their management and customer service seem below par, especially in response to a crisis. On our first day after traveling and then swimming we had no hot water for showers. None. Four of us took showers with zero hot water. We called the front desk who replied, “that’s weird, you should.” Second night, once again no hot water for showers. We didn’t call again because nothing happened the first time. At about 4:30/4:45 in the morning, I was woken up by a loud popping noise followed by the sound of water running. I went into the bathroom and there was water pouring out of the top of the hot water heater. I contacted the front desk but nobody answered so I had to run down there. That gentleman got me towels and even assisted with putting them on the heater and he found me another bucket, but said that no technician would be there until 7. It was around 5. They did not arrive until well after 8. I spent nearly four hours monitoring and severe hot water leak and dumping buckets. At some point my wife talked to someone and was told there are no rooms to move to which was fine but it did strap us to monitoring the situation until a technician came after 8. My wife notified the desk that our plans for the day had to be cancelled and it was too late to get a spot by the pool or ocean so she was given a cabana. That was a nice gesture. Our daughters used this but never received the fruit and wine that was supposedly part of it. My wife and I had to travel into town to deal with a parking ticket we got due to not having parking at the hotel and when we got back we were given a parking spot, which is appreciated. When we asked to see someone, a manager named Linda stated to come back to talk to another manager but assured us we would be compensated. So we spent a good part of the day checking with the front desk to see if a manager was around to discuss this with us. Finally at 2100(9:00pm) someone spoke to us and told us that because we booked through Expedia we had to talk to them but expedia would request compensation and the hotel would compensate them and they would refund us whatever that was. Expedia promptly contacted ROC Illetas and they were told that ROC illetas will not refund any of the trip after assuring us they would help us. They did comp the cabana but our plans for the day had to be canceled and I spent hours cleaning up the water and dumping buckets. I have videos of the heater, the floor, etc. to show if you would like to see then. My belief is this was poorly handled from the first call by us that we did not have hot water. Someone looking into why we had no hot water could have prevented all of this. I cannot believe a hotel of that size does not have some type of maintenance employee 24/7. Just overall poor customer service by management. We are generally easy going but a total lack of urgency or care that your customer is in their room dealing with a broken hot water heater instead of enjoying their vacation and then refusing to refund anything is just...